Telefilm Canada announced Tuesday the appointment of Anita Damiani to the position of national director of feature films for the French-language market for a five-year term, effective July 2.
Damiani reports to Francesca Accinelli, Telefilm Canada’s senior vice president of program strategy and industry development.
With a career in the audiovisual industry spanning almost 25 years, Damiani has held various positions at Telefilm, including specialist in distribution and marketing and, most recently, as regional director for funding of feature film projects for Quebec’s French-language market.
In addition, she oversaw many key files at Telefilm such as theatrical exhibition on a national level, marketing for the French market, the Covid-19 emergency fund for cinemas, and increased collaborations with official language minority communities.
“Her expertise, leadership and extensive knowledge of Canadian film allows her to continue her collaborations with members of the industry with the goal of enhancing the profile and visibility of Canadian feature films,” Telefilm said in a press release. “She will play a central role in the strategic revision of our programs, contributing to their development and their alignment with current sector priorities.”
“Following a rigorous selection process, I was pleased to see an internal candidate stand out as the top choice for this position,” Accinelli said in the press release. “Anita has a deep understanding of the richness and reach of Canadian cinema — and especially that of Francophone cinema. She’s mastered the workings of the role and is motivated to collaborate with industry. She is joining a strong, experienced management team.”
Telefilm thanked Damiani’s predecessor Marie-France Godbout, who has held the position of national director of feature films for the French market since 2011 and is retiring as of July 30. “Her work for over twenty years, including fourteen in this position, allowed Telefilm to promote the development of the industry,” Telefilm’s press release said.
Photo of Anita Damiani courtesy of Telefilm Canada
